How to Brew the Perfect Cup of Coffee
Tips for getting coffee-shop results at home
The world has change and so has our routines and although café and coffee shops are opening up, we are still slightly reluctant to venture out but by all means none of us have quite given up their thirst for coffee; we are just making it ourselves. Coffee consumption, has already risen by five percent within the past five years and sales of whole bean and ground coffee throughout this pandemic had doubled and then some from the previous years.
If you are not used to brewing your own, you may not know how to get the complexity and flavours that burst out of your coffee that you find and enjoy from your café or coffee-shop brew. So with some extra time on your hands, instead of relying on your coffee maker you may want to try a different brew method and do it all on your own.
Making a superior cup of coffee at home is easier than you think. We enlisted the help of experts coffee testers (our customers) to join us in a small test to break down the steps to what we consider a perfect cup of coffee and we did it all using five techniques: Aeropress, Chemex, French press, the pour-over, and auto drip. No matter which one you choose, these tips below will help you take your home brew from so-so to pro.
Gather Your Tools
Just as a seasoned chef wouldn’t cook without quality ingredients and equipment, a barista is only as good as their beans and tools. You can get a decent cup of coffee without investing in all of the gadgets and ingredients below, but in doing so will certainly help you to replicate the coffee-shop experience at home.
• Buy quality, fresh beans. Coffee beans begin to lose their flavour and aroma rapidly after roasting and grinding. To boost the taste and freshness of your brew, look for whole beans that display a roasting date—ideally look for one that's within the past few days and have printed it on the packaging. (Not all coffees have roasting dates printed on their packaging, but if they do, that's usually a sign that they're quality beans. In theory, the more recent the date, the fresher the beans.) Don’t grind the beans until you’re ready to brew.
Our beans are roaster the day of order if not then they will certainly will have been roasted with 24 hours. we also make sure delivery is fast and reliable.
• Invest in a burr grinder. For a smooth, well-rounded cup, the size and shape of the coffee grounds matter. A blade grinder, operates in a rotary motion much like the blades of a helicopter, which grind and produce uneven-sized grounds, while a burr grinder uses abrasive, cylindrical surfaces (the burrs) which crush the beans into a uniformed grind size. Burr grinders also have different settings, allowing to produce the right consistency for the brewing method you’re using. Burr grinders are typically more expensive than blade grinders, but are worth the expense if you’re looking for a more balanced brew, which could result in a tastier cup.
• The water’s temperature. The optimal brewing temperature for maximum flavour extraction is between 195° and 205° F. Use a thermometer to make sure your water is hot enough. Also if you can use filtered water, since impurities in tap water can introduce off flavours to your brew.
• Weigh your coffee—and water. A simple gram scale will help you measure the precise amount of coffee and the water to ensure the perfect ratio when brewing.
• Time it. A kitchen timer (or the timer on a smartphone) is essential for making sure you don’t over- or under-extract the flavours from the coffee grounds.
Pick Your Brew Method
There’s no one right way to brew coffee. In fact, you’ll probably end up tweaking each of these methods to find the right one for your particular taste. But if you follow the steps below - which were developed by our expert tasters using our Threshold coffee selection - you’ll find yourself with flavourful, quality cups of coffee every time. Note that each method can produce a different-tasting brew, so use the tasting notes from our test to pick the one that suits your flavour preferences best.
Aeropress
Tasting Notes: Fairly complex coffee with good body and aroma.
Pros and Cons: Perfect for when you want a quick, single-serving cup without sacrificing flavor. It’s easy to use and clean, and produces coffee that is more complex than drip but just a touch less so than the other methods below.
1. Grind coffee beans to fine.
2. Wet the rubber piston and insert it into the brewing cylinder about ¼ inch. Flip the brewer upside down and place on gram scale. Zero the scale.
3. Add 17 grams of coffee to the cylinder. Zero the scale.
4. Slowly add 250 grams of hot filtered water (205° F).
5. Steep for 1 minute, 15 seconds.
6. Place paper filter into filter holder, moisten filter with hot water, and lock holder in place.
7. Flip brewer over and stand on a cup. Gently press down on the brewing cylinder with steady pressure until there is no more water to push through the device.
Chemex
Tasting Notes: Complex, aromatic, and balanced brew with sweet, juicy undertones.
Pros and Cons: The thick Chemex-branded filters regulate the filtration rate and keep sediment out. The carafe is easy to pour, but the narrow neck makes it difficult to clean by hand. The wooden handle isn’t dishwasher-safe, but it can be easily removed.
1. Grind coffee beans to medium-fine.
2. Place paper filter in vessel and moisten with hot water. Pour off excess water.
3. Put Chemex on gram scale. Zero the scale.
4. Place 32 of grams ground coffee into the filter. Zero the scale.
5. Pour 60 to 70 grams of hot filtered water (205° F) in a circular motion to cover the grounds. Wait 45 seconds.
6. Pour the rest of the water slowly in a circular motion over grounds until scale reaches 500 grams total.
Note: Water should drain between 3 minutes, 30 seconds and 4 minutes, 15 seconds. If it takes longer, grind more coarsely; if less, grind more finely.
French Press
Tasting Notes: Flavorful and full-bodied.
Pros and Cons: Without a paper filter, this coffee retains its natural oils, creating a bolder taste. The mesh filter holds back most of the grounds, but small, powderlike coffee grounds (called “fines”) can remain in the brew, creating a somewhat viscous cup.
1. Grind coffee beans to coarse.
2. Put carafe on gram scale. Zero the scale.
2. Place 35 grams of coffee into carafe. Zero the scale.
3. Add 250 grams of hot filtered water (205° F).
4. Stir with a metal spoon for approximately 5 seconds.
5. Add water to 500 grams total.
6. Set timer for 4 minutes. At 2 minutes, stir.
7. At 4 minutes, press plunger slowly and pour into cup.
Pour-Over
Tasting Notes: Full, juicy, and sweet flavors that aren’t too aggressive, with a smooth mouth-feel.
Pros and Cons: This type of brewer is easy to clean and takes up just a little space in your cupboard. You can also brew coffee directly into your mug, minimizing dirty dishes.
1. Grind coffee beans to medium-fine.
2. Put brewing vessel on top of cup or carafe and place paper filter in vessel; moisten filter with hot water. Pour off excess water.
3. Place cup and brewing vessel onto gram scale. Zero the scale.
4. Put 32 grams of ground coffee into the filter. Zero the scale.
5. Pour 64 grams of hot filtered water (205° F) over the coffee in a circular motion. Let sit for 40 seconds.
6. Pour the rest of the water slowly over grounds until the scale reaches 500 grams total.
Note: Water should drain between 3 minutes, 30 seconds and 4 minutes, 15 seconds. If it takes longer, grind coffee more coarsely; if it takes less time, grind it more finely.
Auto-Drip
Tasting Notes: Less control over your brew can mean a slightly more astringent cup with slightly lower complexity than the other alternative methods. But if convenience is more important than perfection, auto-drip is a good choice.
Pros and Cons: Auto-drip makers are popular because they’re easy to use and clean, and they brew coffee quickly. But our expert tasters noted that the coffee's fruity, somewhat sweeter notes were masked by a sharper acidity.
1. Grind coffee beans to medium-fine.
2. If using a paper filter, place in filter basket and moisten with hot water. Let water run through to carafe and discard.
3. To make four 6-oz. cups, place about 6 Tbsp. ground coffee into filter. Pour 24 oz. cold filtered water into water reservoir. Press start.
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